12, June 2018

We say things like ‘As long as there’s life there’s hope,’ or ‘Hope is tying a knot in the rope and holding on,’ believing that things will get better. But when hope seems delayed or denied, mental and emotional illness can cause some people to look for a permanent way out. Suicide excludes God. When you take your life there’s nothing more He can do for you. It leaves a legacy of unresolved pain that will live on in the hearts of your loved ones. For generations Christian leaders have debated and disagreed on the question of suicide. But every one of them believes these words: ‘Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression.’ (Proverbs 12:25 NKJV) And depression, left undealt with, can end in self-destruction. It may not be the result of a bullet or a drug overdose; it may be a decision to stop eating, or overeat, or stop reaching for help because the help they’ve received has not worked. But the end result is the same.

The Mental Health Foundation in Britain reports that women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders as men. People in low-income families are reportedly two to three times more likely to develop mental health problems than those in higher-income families. Can the Bible offer some comfort? Yes. ‘He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.’ (Isaiah 40:29–31 NKJV)